Things to do in Melbourne
Laneways, Korean BBQ, and a French dinner worth dressing up for
This is Melbourne as locals actually use it: coffee taken seriously, lunch kept casual, and evenings that earn their price tag. Three days cover the CBD from Chinatown to the East End without wasting a step, and the pace is loose enough to linger wherever something good is happening. It suits anyone who wants to eat and drink well without paying for a postcode.
Day 1: Chinatown and the CBD East End
A morning of colonial history and indie shopping sets up a Chinatown dinner at Red Emperor, rounded out at a no-nonsense pub that earns its place on the strip.
- 9:30 AM
Ondo city
Korean-run specialty coffee spot right in the CBD, a local favourite for a morning brew.
Map - 10:15 AM
Old Melbourne Gaol
Iconic city landmark with gripping colonial history, Old Melbourne Gaol is a proper morning cultural hit.
Map - 12:30 PM
Boonchoou
Casual, well-priced Thai in the East End that locals rate highly, great value lunch spot.
Map - 2:00 PM
Melbourne Central
Melbourne Central's Shot Tower under its iconic glass cone, great browse through local and indie shops.
Map - 7:30 PM
Red Emperor (Chinatown) Chinese Restaurant
Top-rated Chinatown institution, the one memorable dinner locals keep coming back to, right in the neighbourhood.
Map - 9:15 PM
Exford Hotel
The Exford is a proper local pub steps from Chinatown, cold beer and cocktails without the pretence.
Map
Day 2: Flagstaff, Korean BBQ, and the Weird Museum
A park walk and a free climb into the State Library's domed reading room fill the day before a table-top Korean BBQ dinner.
- 9:30 AM
- 10:15 AM
- 12:30 PM
- 2:15 PM
State Library Victoria
Free: climb to the top balcony of the domed La Trobe Reading Room and look down on six storeys of desks.
Map - 7:30 PM
Mansae Korean BBQ - CBD QVM
Charcoal Korean barbecue cooked at the table; get the marinated short rib and the pork belly.
Map - 9:30 PM
The Meatball & Wine Bar - Flinders Lane
A late glass of Italian red and a plate of meatballs on Flinders Lane.
Map
Day 3: Arcades, NGV, and a French Finish
Start slow in an 1880s arcade, spend the late morning inside the NGV Australia for free, then close the trip with tapas on Hosier Lane and a proper French dinner at Philippe.
- 9:30 AM
Cathedral Arcade
Grab a coffee from one of the cafés tucked inside this beautiful 1880s arcade, a lovely slow start.
Map - 11:15 AM
Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia
Free entry, world-class Australian art from colonial to contemporary, a proper morning in a landmark gallery.
Map - 12:45 PM
MoVida
Spanish tapas on graffiti-covered Hosier Lane; order the anchovy and smoked tomato sorbet bite.
Map - 7:30 PM
Philippe
Philippe Mouchel's Collins Street brasserie; order the rotisserie chicken or the duck, and a soufflé.
Map - 9:30 PM
Duke of Wellington Hotel
A pub on Flinders Street licensed since the 1850s, with a rooftop for a last pint.
Map
Where to stay
QT Melbourne
Sits right on the boundary of the East End and Chinatown, putting every day of this plan within a short walk, and the rooms are sharp without tipping into flash.
Le Méridien Melbourne
Good value for the location: on the eastern fringe of the CBD, close to the NGV, Hosier Lane, and Philippe, with none of the corporate excess.
Make Melbourne your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
Get Swearby on the App StoreBefore you go
Book ahead
- Melbourne Cricket Ground: weeks ahead
- St Kilda Pier: weeks ahead
- Great Ocean Road: weeks ahead
- Phillip Island Nature Parks - Penguin Parade: weeks ahead
- Royal Melbourne Golf Club: months ahead
- Kingston Heath Golf Club: months ahead
Skip these
- Rushed one day Great Ocean Road coaches listing 10 stops and general admission Penguin Parade viewing.
- Lygon Street restaurant spruikers, Eureka Skydeck as a must do, and Crown Casino as a night out in itself.
- Souvenir end of Queen Victoria Market and Docklands factory outlet shopping sold as local culture.
The full Melbourne travel guide: when to go, safety, getting around